In GC systems, the amount of time required for a chemical compound to traverse the entire length of a separation column (“column”) is known as its retention time. One factor that contributes to the retention time of a chemical compound is the temperature of the separation column. Controlling the temperature of the column precisely from analysis to analysis is beneficial to provide repeatability in the retention time for a particular chemical compound, or analyte. In addition, programmatically changing the column temperature while the sample analytes are migrating through it can advantageously provide shorter analysis time and reduce peak broadening.
Often, columns are heated in known systems using an air convection oven because of its ability to provide a uniform and repeatable thermal environment in a space large enough to accommodate a wide variety of column diameters and lengths. The columns are typically arranged on a support structure that creates an open cylinder. This allows the heated air access over all the column surfaces and results in uniform temperatures across the entire column length. While air convection ovens are useful, their use comes with clear disadvantages. For example, convection ovens require a significant amount of energy and time to heat up, and a significant amount of time to cool down. This leads, of course, to comparatively long cycle times and high power consumption, among other disadvantages. In addition, the ability to do rapid analysis via temperature programmed conditions is limited when using air convection ovens.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus that overcomes at least the drawbacks of known GC column heaters discussed above.